


Old Memories, New Chances

by vlrny



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Humor, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-13
Packaged: 2018-08-20 14:33:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8252635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vlrny/pseuds/vlrny
Summary: Overwatch is now back together, and everyone struggles with the ghosts of their past. Jesse McCree meets Hanzo Shimada, and from then on shit gets real...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Hang the Fool](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7127210) by [AlmaMeDuele](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlmaMeDuele/pseuds/AlmaMeDuele). 



> Hi everyone! I'm vlrny, and the main reason why I even wrote this was thanks to AlmaMeDuele, whose fic Hang the Fool inspired mine. Some of the things may look similar, but I will try my best to be more original, haha.
> 
> This fic was started also through the encouragement of my good friend Aki, and my passion for both McCree and Hanzo, whom I ship very happily. Overwatch has been a source of happiness for me since I got it in May, and I hope this fic will bring all of you (whoever that actually reads this) happiness too. Cheers!
> 
> \- I write occasionally on my own blog: [Wordpress](http://vlrny.wordpress.com)  
> \- I also am on Twitter, often spouting bullshit regarding eSports: @chokedsouls  
> \- Tumblr is new: [FreyaAsYourMercy](http://freyaasyourmercy.tumblr.com)/ (NSFW: [FreyaAtYourMercy](http://freyaatyourmercy.tumblr.com))  
> \- This will also be posted on my NSFW Tumblr.

Chapter 1:

Jesse McCree never thought he’d set foot here again. He took a deep breath and let the smell of salt and sea fill his veins - he had spent so much time landlocked that he had forgotten how the sea had always made him feel a little less tired - and a little more free.

The landing bay of Gibraltar was situated right on the other side of headquarters where the rocket launchpad was. He had never understood why the headquarters had to be all the way on the other side - he had to walk quite a distance into the hangar, then past all the storage containers that they had put into the hollow of the rocks.

Now that he had the time to really look at this watchpoint station, he realized that whoever had come here and first built the base had to cut through this entire chunk of limestone. Whatever that Overwatch had put into this place was well-protected by the towering rock that loomed over them all. This place made even Reinhardt and Winston look small, and that was a feat in itself.

He remembered this place as if he had never left. The plane was still there - he chuckled as he remembered Winston promising to fix it so that he could take them on a joyride. So far, nothing yet. The scientist always found other things to work on first, things more important than a fun airplane ride. And at that thought he sobered up. 

The reason why he was back at a place that he never thought he’d return to was because a month ago, the second Omnic war had broken out again, due to the assassination of Tekhartha Mondatta in King’s Row. Tracer was there, but failed to stop the attempt on Mondatta’s life. And Winston had his lab hacked in a bid to extract all of the Overwatch members’ locations - by a spectral wraith who went by the name of ‘Reaper’.

Talon was back, whether they liked it or not, and someone had to stop them. The recall of Overwatch was illegal under the Petras Act - in fact, any activity at all would be considered illegal and liable to prosecution. But to sit down, watch and do nothing? That was not the way of Overwatch, regardless of whether or not the organization was able to operate legally.

The people here had morals. He knew that he was the last of his team to return - his trip from America, being a wanted man, had made him late by almost an entire month. The rest had returned way before him and set up base here.

He stood on the top of a shipping container - and watched the sun slowly sink into the horizon of the blue mediterranean sea. The waves splashed rough against the limestone, and spray that hit him in the face was as if life had touched him again.

For the first time in a few years, he relaxed and smiled.

* * *

The reunion was more than he expected, and everything he could’ve asked for. They laughed at old jokes, gave him updates on their lives and saw that he had his own room to sleep in at the base. Lena was still on her near constant high, Winston still had jars of peanut butter strewn over his desk, and Reinhardt looked as sturdy as ever in his large frame and armour. It was like Overwatch never disbanded at all.

“I see you still haven’t gotten around to fixin’ that large hole in your office window,” McCree said, pointing to the remaining glass that was still attached to the panel. A wraith-like creature had attacked the watchpoint a few months ago before Winston recalled all the agents, and a fight had ensued.

“Well, I wanted to… but I got lazy, so sometimes I just drop out from the window itself rather than walk downstairs,” he said sheepishly, much to the amusement of Reinhardt, who chuckled heartily.

“Where’s Torbjorn, Genji and Angela?” McCree asked as he sat down, resting his arm on a table. Happy he was to be back here, but the aching in his tired bones was making him feel a little weary.

“Genji’s on a mission… Torbjorn is fixing his turrets up nearby to fortify the base’s defenses, and Angela is in her medbay as usual,” Lena supplied in her cheery tone. He couldn’t help but smile at Lena; her constant chirpiness was infectious and hard to resist.

He tipped his hat in acknowledgement, and then told everyone he wanted to go catch up on some rest. Nobody said anything - they all knew how tiring transatlantic flights could be, especially when you hid in stowaway cargo rather than flying first class.

As he went to drop off his items in his room, he passed by the medical bay. Inside sat Angela - code name Mercy - the residential Overwatch doctor. He knocked on the door to catch her attention. At the sound, she looked up and saw McCree leaning against the door, hips cocked to one side lazily and a smile hanging off his lips. She laughed in surprise and threw herself back into his arms, holding him tight. 

“Jesse, I never thought I’d see you again!” Her voice was soft and lilting, fitting to her image. He laughed and savored the feeling of her in his arms. To everyone else, Angela looked like an angel. Hell, some might say that she was one in the flesh, saving lives, healing the sick and wounded in that Valkyrie suit of hers. 

They had gone out once a long time ago, but realized that they weren’t really for each other, with McCree discovering that he had… other preferences. Angela didn’t hold it against him, and they remained very good friends even after.

“It’s good to be back, Angela.”

He meant it. Living in solitude was something he could do, but every human being craved touch in one way or another, and the company he was in now did wonders to soothe his exhausted mind. She fussed over him, checked his mechanical arm and other parts that they had fitted him with while he was still here at Overwatch.

Once he was declared okay, he gave her a peck on the forehead before heading to his dorm room. The moment he walked into the clean but sparse room, he dropped his things on the floor and collapsed into the bed.

 _I’ve never felt a bed this soft in a long, long time,_ he mused. Within the next few minutes, he fell into the deepest sleep he had in years.

* * *

“Good morning!” Lena’s cheery voice sounded from the other side of the mechanical sliding door. Groggily, McCree opened the door for her before slumping back into bed.

“Come on now, no lazing around! We’re back here to do work!” It was hard to take Lena seriously with her cheerful demeanor, especially when he was woken up at 7AM with a severe case of jet lag.

“I’ll be down later, save me some breakfast. Need to sleep off this jetlag,” McCree yawned, settling back into his soft pillow.

“Okay, but no promises you’ll get any peanut butter!” she exclaimed cheerily before leaving him alone. McCree sighs in resignation. _Now I remember why I spent most of my time in America alone - there was no one else to disturb me._

With that thought, he slid his hat over his face to block out the light filtering through the window, and returned to his slumber.

* * *

He woke in time for dinner, much to Lena’s amusement. Angela shook her head when she saw his unkempt hair, albeit good-naturedly.

“GOOD EVENING, MY GOOD FRIEND! IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK HERE AGAIN. AND YOUR HAT! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU STILL HAVE IT!” Reinhardt bellowed, his voice ringing around the dinner area. Even in his sixties, Reinhardt was not subdued at all, and knocked the wind out of McCree when he slapped him on the back.

McCree made an _‘oof’_ sound, and managed to catch his hat before it fell off his head. “Let ‘im eat his dinner, Reinhardt ya’ old fart. He must be starvin’!” Torbjorn walked in, chuckling and stowing his little hammer away. Reinhardt laughed heartily, and turned to chat with Fareeha Amari, who had joined them for dinner. She dropped in today as she had the next week off, and wanted to visit her favorite people at Overwatch.

McCree found it hard to look at Fareeha - she was almost a carbon copy of her own mother, Ana Amari. He missed the sniper every day. He would always hear her voice, telling him to never hesitate pulling the trigger - in his dreams, when he shot a bullet, and in the times when he almost succumbed to the sweet lure of death. He knew would never forgive himself for not being able to stop her from that fatal mission which took her life, and looked away from her daughter before his emotions got the better of him.

Dinner was served and it was a hearty meal - everyone was in high spirits. Even Athena would chip in on a couple of jokes, and the loud chattering was comparable to when the Overwatch base was full of recruits and soldiers alike. Winston, however was sitting at his desk, intently eating a banana that Lena had gotten him recently. When he caught McCree’s eye, he motioned for the cowboy to come and look at his screen.

“Boy, am I glad you’re back, Jesse.” There was sincerity in the scientist’s eyes, and even though he was more Blackwatch than Overwatch, he was grateful that everyone treated him like a good friend rather than an outsider. “Glad to be back too, Winston. Now what can I help you with?” McCree smiled back at the scientist.

“There’s been a case of disruptions in Hanamura - I sent Genji on a mission there to check if it was the Shimada clan acting up again, but there’s been no information from him. I can’t contact him at all either.” He pointed to the map on his screen and showed McCree his last seen coordinates.

“I need someone to do recon work there for me since Genji has gone MIA. Also if you can find him, let me know.” McCree nodded in understanding.

“So you want me to check on Genji, and check up on the Shimada clan? But didn’t Genji wipe out the organization back then?” McCree asked, a little confused.

Shaking his head, Winston pulled up more files. “You remember your old Deadlock gang? They seem to have allied up with the Shimada clan. Whatever that Genji left of them was little, but there are some who would still try to rise to power again.” McCree saw some old faces in the files - some deceased, some now in league with the Shimada clan. It brought back memories - both the good and bad.

“I haven’t seen these people in ages, Winston.” The next picture brought up stopped McCree in his tracks.

> _Shimada, Hanzo._
> 
> _Age 38._
> 
> _Base of Operations: Shimada Castle (formerly), Hanamura._
> 
> _Last seen coordinates: Hanamura (a week ago)_

His hair was tied back to show a rigid face - sharp eyebrows and eyes that could make you bleed if you looked too long into them. There was a roughened look to him - a face that said he had seen too many things in his life. There was something about him that McCree couldn’t put his finger on.

“Who is Hanzo?” McCree said it as “Han-jo”. His American tongue was not used to pronouncing asian names. McCree felt something stirring within him - what, he didn’t know, but he knew that meeting Hanzo was going to change his life. For better, or for worse. Winston smiled at the mispronunciation before going on, unaware of the turmoil in McCree’s mind.

“This is Genji’s older brother. The head of the Shimada clan... or at least he used to be. Not anymore. He’s been sighted around Hanamura recently and I want you to see what he’s up to.”

“So what do you want me to look for? Him, information on the Shimada clan, or both?” McCree asked, studying the profile that Winston had shown him. Hanzo was the oldest son of the Shimada clan, and was supposed to bring the clan to even greater heights. He was a proficient marksman, and specialized in sniping - with a bow and arrow.

“Both. Also Genji if you can find him. You leave in 3 days - I have your passport and flight tickets. I’ll drop it off in your room when I can along with whatever files I have on Hanzo. Go get some rest - you’ll need it. Japan is in another timezone entirely,” he said, looking at McCree’s gaunt face.

“Roger that.” With a salute, McCree grabbed a banana on the way out and returned to his dorm room to get some much needed sleep.

* * *

Seated comfortably in Economy class, McCree mused that it was good to be back on the right side of a plane. He wasn’t even going to complain that it wasn’t business or first class. He took a sip of his orange juice and settled into his seat, his hat tipped over his face.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a tattoo on a Japanese businessman’s neck when he turned to crack his neck - two dragons, eating at each other’s tails. _Isn’t that the Shimada Clan’s sigil…?_ McCree peered carefully - and realized that it was, indeed what Winston had shown him before he left Gibraltar.

 _“This is their sigil. Many clan members have them, but they have mostly dispersed around the world. If you spot this, keep an eye on whoever it is. It might bring you some clues as to what’s going on.”_ Winston said as he briefed McCree on the mission details.

The plane was about to land in Osaka - the airport was a 50 minute drive away from Kyoto, where he was headed. Hanamura was a quaint little village - but it had become a popular tourist destination a while back, with the cherry blossoms being in full bloom, and a great view of Mount Fuji from Shimada Castle.

The people who went there knew naught of the dark secrets that the castle held. _The former Shimada criminal empire was created there by lucrative trading in arms, illegal substances and assassinations. Hanzo Shimada was the former clan’s leader. He was forced to take over when his father had passed on unexpectedly, and the Shimada clan forced his hand to clean up Genji’s act, so that the younger Shimada might help to rule their empire._

_Genji refused, and Hanzo was forced to kill his younger brother at the behest of his clan’s elders. If he would not listen, then he would not be a liability. But it was a fight that cost more than just the younger Shimada’s life - he lost his own brother, and the dragons that he wielded rejected him, for he had slain his own kin._

_Hanzo abandoned the criminal empire, and left the legacy that his father had passed on to him. Declaring him a traitor, the Shimada clan sent assassins after Hanzo, and ever since then he had been on the run. He would disappear for years on end, reappearing only when he wanted to._

These thoughts lingered in McCree’s mind as he pulled his bag off the baggage claim and watched out for the man who had the Shimada sigil on his neck. After five minutes of pretending to look at alcohol from the duty-free section (damn, there was some really good bourbon here), he finally showed up. McCree returned the bottle to the shelf before turning to leave, keeping a mindful distance away from the man. He looked like he was in his fifties, and was greeted by an elderly chauffeur when he reached the pickup area.

“To the castle, Mr. Tatsuya? The elders are waiting.” The elderly man smiled warmly at the businessman, who did not return the smile.

“Yes, to Hanamura. We leave in 5, I need some coffee.” The man then strode off towards Starbucks, briefcase in hand.

McCree was glad that he caught that conversation - the in-ear translator that Winston had fitted him with solved all his language problems. Now he could understand - though he couldn’t really speak. Athena was programmed with every language in the world - translating Japanese for her was not going to be much of a problem.

* * *

He arrived in Hanamura around an hour later by the airport limousine bus. Hotel Hanamura was a pleasing place to look at - all polished marble and dark cherry wood for furnishing. The people there could speak some english, and his check-in was quicker than expected - though he did hear some of the employees commenting on his choice of clothing.

_Let them talk - it’s not everyday they see an American here._

The room was furnished just like the lobby, all beautiful dark wood and white marble counters. They even had a pretty good alcohol selection - but he wasn’t here to drink. He changed out of his usual getup - his chestplate, the hat and the red cape - and into a crisp white shirt, folded up to the elbows. He looked at himself in the wide mirror, and decided that it was time for a trim. His beard was out of control - he had let it grow out while he was back in America.

He found a pair of clippers in the bathroom’s shaving kit, and got to work. By the time he was done, his face barely had any stubble on it. He ran a hand along his jaw, pleased with how it turned out. He checked the time; it was around 6pm here in Japan, which meant dinnertime.

He pressed the comm clip in his ear to speak to Athena. 

“Hello, Agent McCree. How can I help you today?”

“I just wanted to give a status update. I’ve checked in, goin’ to go for some dinner. I’ll start recon work at night,” he said as he left the room.

“Noted, Agent McCree. Anything else?”

“No, Athena, thank you.” The system went back to auto-translation as he left the hotel building.

* * *

McCree remembered the last time he was here, passing by on his way to Tokyo from Osaka. There was a robbery going on at the Rikimaru ramen shop, and he thwarted a duo from successfully completing their heist, though they had already robbed the Hanamura arcade beforehand. Thinking of the two made him screw his face up in mild disgust and confusion - one was a tubby guy who went by ‘Roadhog’, and a scrawny little fella whose hair ends were constantly smoking, known as ‘Junkrat’.

Pity Overwatch was ‘disbanded’, if not he could’ve taken them to the authorities back then. But then he was still a fugitive with a bounty on his head, so he left them alone after sabotaging their attempt at a robbery. McCree prayed no one would recognize him at the store - he had changed out his usual clothes in an attempt to distract from the ‘ _anachronistic fashion sense’_ that the papers said he had.

McCree scoffed as he trod the two streets to get to Rikimaru Ramen.

“Anachronistic? I’ll have you know that’s a classic back in the ‘states,” he muttered, tying his long, shaggy hair back into a ponytail. A flicker of silver shone from out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to look - but found nothing.

“Weird, swore I saw somethin’,” McCree muttered as he continued on.

“Actually, you did,” a robotic voice sounded from behind him. McCree whipped around to see Genji Shimada in the flesh - metallic body? - standing in front of him.

“What the heck, Genji-kun? You plan on scarin’ the livin’ daylights outta me?” He put a hand over his chest and pretended to be wounded. "I ain't young anymore, y'know?"

Genji chuckled, and walked alongside McCree. “No, but I knew you were coming. Winston managed to contact me after you left, and he told me where you were going to be. I just waited for you to show up,” he said. McCree could imagine the smile on Genji’s face had he not worn the visor - his cheeks puffing up with a smile, raising the scars on his face.

“C’mon, Rikimaru’s ramen is as good as ever,” Genji said as he led McCree towards the store, flicking a twig at the murloc that was Rikimaru’s mascot. They were rewarded with a hearty _‘mrrglrlrlrmgrrr’_ and had a good laugh before entering the cozy ramen store.

* * *

“You cheated!” McCree exclaims as they walked out of the Hanamura arcade. Genji had challenged him to a few rounds of claw machine fun - the cyborg had 5 Pachimari plushies in his arms, while McCree held none.

“No, I just have more experience than you,” and the mirth in Genji’s voice made him soften just a little. He handed McCree one of the Pachimaris.

“Here, a memento to remember our friendship by,” he said, as the cowboy happily squished the soft toy, making it squeak.

“Why d’ya sound like you’re leavin’ or somethin’?” He looked at Genji suspiciously, as he continued squeezing the plush.

“I’m here on a personal mission - I might not make it out alive,” he explains, but offers no more. McCree looked at him - he remembered when Angela first brought him in after his fight with Hanzo. The young boy was shredded, arrowheads sticking out of his body where nothing should have ever went through, his soul hovering on the brink of death.

She saved him, fitted him with cybernetic parts and brought him back from the dead. It was after a long, arduous journey that he was able to deal with who he was and what he was supposed to do, though he never did hold it against his savior. He chose to be saved.

McCree befriended the young boy when he joined Overwatch - they were good friends, and always enjoyed a good meal together when they had the time. He looked at the man in front of him now and sighed.

“Look, Genji-kun. I know it ain’t my problem, and I ain’t gonna probe, but try to come back alive, okay? There are people who still care for you, and they miss you.” He saw Genji’s visor flicker - McCree knew he was thinking of Angela. He left it at that. Anything more was their own problem to solve.

“I know, McCree. But this is something I have to do. It is my responsibility.” The two men incline their head in a show of respect, and he watched as Genji leap away onto a ledge, then onto a roof, still clutching the little Pachimaris.

“Now that’s a sight you don’t see everyday,” he muttered, taking out a cigar from his case and lighting it. God knew it had been a long day.


	2. Durgens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was rewatching ["Dragons"](https://youtu.be/oJ09xdxzIJQ) by Overwatch here to take reference for this chapter.  
> And also if you haven't watched this YouTube Parody of Dragons, please do. Watch: ["Durgens"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXSWb1tMmZY)
> 
> Still working on some chapters, took a while to finish this one 'cause I caught the flu and have been feeling horrible for the past two days. Sorry!

The Shimada Castle was open in the day, and McCree bought a ticket for ¥400 to scout out the place. Guards were posted at several entrances, and he made a mental note of the ‘off-limits’ area. He was about to start moving deeper into the castle when his in-ear comm picked up some conversation. He listened closely as they spoke.

“The  _ Shimada-gumi _ used to own this castle?” A young Japanese girl, no older than 7 asked, looking up at her mother. The mother looked around before replying her in a very low voice. McCree had to strain to hear her soft response.

“Yes. Years ago when I was your age, your grandmother was friends with the  _ Shimada-gumi _ , and knew the  _ kumicho _ . She would bring me to have tea with the two Shimada sons. They were powerful and strong, until 10 years ago when the two brothers fought and disrupted the harmony of the North and South.” The woman had tears in her eyes.

“Mama, don’t cry,” the little girl said, wiping her mother’s tears away with her sleeve. The woman managed a weak smile and held her daughter as they sat and watched the cherry blossoms fall to the ground.

“Then what happened?” The little girl’s curiosity was still not sated, and her mother smiled at her daughter’s tenacity. She picked a pink petal out of her daughter’s hair and tucked a blossom behind her ear.

“The older Shimada regretted his actions, and abandoned the  _ Shimada-gumi _ . He still hasn’t been caught till this day. The  _ Shimada-gumi _ eventually fell apart without a Shimada at the helm, and the castle was taken by the government.”

Her daughter ‘ooh-ed’ and ‘aah-ed’ at the right places, all the while looking at the grand structure of the castle. McCree scratched his chin and tried to get all his facts right as he thought about what he knew.

_ The Shimada-gumi fell apart due to Genji’s interference, and Hanzo leaving. But then I saw the businessman with the Shimada sigil on his neck, and his chauffeur saying that the elders wanted to meet them. Were there still meetings? _

A casual glance around the area showed that there weren’t that many security guards - and none of them were the yakuza, just the normal security guys milling around, making sure that property wasn’t vandalized and keeping the crowds in line.

He headed towards the temple with a large bell, passing by some wooden doors when his in-ear comms sprung to life again with sound. McCree dug out his phone to look as if he was busy texting someone to keep on listening to the conversation.

“Elder Fujimoto, it is an honour to meet you finally.” The voice sounded familiar - could it be the guy from the airport yesterday? McCree set the comm to record the conversation.

“Mr. Tatsuya, you are too polite. It was time for you to return to the home of the  _ Shimada-gumi _ \- we have missed a lot of our good people.” This man sounded old yet grizzly. He assumed it was one of the elders of the  _ Shimada-gumi _ , and that there were more.

“Is there any word on Hanzo? I know the  _ Shimada-gumi _ has sent out assassins, but how is it going?” Mr. Tatsuya sounded eager to find the elder Shimada brother. The elder sipped his tea, and put it back onto the table before responding.

“He is a Shimada. He will not be found unless he wants to be. Though today is the anniversary of when he killed Genji - perhaps he will be back to honour the fallen brother he killed with his own hands.” McCree couldn’t decide if it was a stroke of good luck or just pure good timing that got him to Japan today - but either way, he was hopeful as well.

“Perhaps,” Mr. Tatsuya said, still sounding too excited at the prospect of seeing Hanzo. “Anyways, why have you called the  _ Shimada-gumi _ back? We no longer have the resources to do business like we used to.”

The elder simply laughed. “Is it a crime to want to meet one of the most successful businessmen in the  _ Shimada-gumi _ ? In fact, I called you here to discuss business, not the yakuza. I heard that you’re currently working in the investment sector…”

McCree tuned the rest of the conversation out, his mind whirling with so many thoughts at once. Today was the anniversary of when Hanzo killed Genji? Then why was the younger Shimada back here in Japan? Did he want to see Hanzo?

Genji’s words came back to him. “I’m here on a personal mission - I might not make it out alive.” McCree facepalmed himself. The younger Shimada was back here for revenge. He went back to the hotel and gave Winston all the information he had managed to gather.

“Good work, Agent McCree. This is more than expected - and a relief to know that the Shimada Clan is not trying to regroup. It would mean more work for Genji.” The scientist sounded happy and relaxed at the news.

“Winston…” McCree trailed off, not knowing if he should say it out to the scientist. They both were good friends with Genji, and McCree didn’t know how to deal with the news.

“What is it, Jesse? You okay?” There was an undertone of worry in Winston’s voice - it warmed the cockles of his heart to know that the scientist cared about him.

“Today is Genji’s death anniversary. He returned to Hanamura… and I heard from the locals that Hanzo would come back every year on this day. I think he might try to kill his brother.”

There was silence from over the comm, then a soft sigh of resignation.

“Genji is within his own rights to kill Hanzo. It is his job to disassemble the Shimada clan, and we still recognize Hanzo as one of them.” The quiet realization sat between the two people, connected by a call miles apart, separated by the ocean.

“Let’s hope we see him alive and well after this then,” McCree said, thinking of how Angela would react when she heard of this from Winston. The scientist was not inclined to keep secrets from the good doctor.

“Let’s hope so. For the sake of the Shimada clan, and for the sake of Angela… let’s hope so.”

* * *

In the evening, McCree hid himself on the premises of Shimada Castle before they shut the large wooden doors of the entrance.

“Let’s do a sweep of the perimeter, then take up our positions,” one bodyguard called. McCree had requested for Athena to put him into their comms systems, so that he could listen in on their conversations.

“I heard that the older Shimada will be back today. What do you think?” One of the guards picked some lint off his suit jacket as the rest milled about, fiddling with their sunglasses or earpieces.

“Perhaps. The Shimadas are elusive by nature. Even if he does come in, we might not even spot him. They are ninjas after all.” The omnic guard sounded awfully at peace with what he just said.

One of the younger guards scoff. “We’ve been specially trained by the _ Shimada-gumi  _ ourselves. What could go wrong?” McCree makes a soft, scathing noise.  _ You haven’t seen what the younger brother can do… imagine what the older one could be capable of. _

As the thought lingered in McCree’s mind, an arrow struck the omnic bodyguard right in the chest. The lithe figure moved through the shadows, knocking one guard out with a solid ‘ _t_ _ hwack’ _ of his bow,  and drew an arrow from his quiver to nock it.

The bow in his hand was his Storm Bow - a gift lovingly handed to him by his father for his 18th birthday. It was Hanzo Shimada in the flesh. He held one person by the neck with his bow, and shot at another guard, who was attempting to call for help. His entire left side was left open, and it was with that hand that he drew and shot arrows - to injure, maim or kill.

McCree admired the way the man moved - like a stream flowing over rocks, a soft tune played to lull a baby to sleep. But this man was more dangerous than those things. His muscles flexed and rippled as he drew back and shot with Storm Bow.

The arrow snatched the phone right out of the guard’s hands, and shattered it into a million pieces. Hanzo left them behind as the guard knocked himself out on the temple’s bell with a resounding ‘ _ gong’. _

McCree face-palmed himself for the poor guy that most likely just got a concussion. But he did notice something about Hanzo other than the man’s attractive physique.  _ He merely incapacitated the humans, and destroyed only the omnic.  _ He slowly got up from where he was hiding and noticed a shadow on the roof, watching Hanzo slowly make his way into the now abandoned castle.

The silhouette was one he was familiar with… as was the scarf that flapped gently in the wind. So it was true. Genji was here to kill his brother, after 10 years of staying away from the older Shimada. McCree prayed it would be fast - he did not relish seeing anyone that died at Genji’s hand. The man’s swords sliced deep and true; no mortal would survive it.

* * *

McCree snuck into the castle by the side and found a path leading him upstairs to a small balcony where everything on the ground was visible. There he saw Hanzo praying, burning incense offerings and tea in front of the sword he used to kill Genji. A lone sparrow feather lay on the mat in front of him.

“You are not the first assassin sent to kill me. And you will not be the last.” Hanzo’s soft voice rang true. McCree almost panicked and thought it was him until Genji dropped from the ceiling and landed softly on the pads of his feet.

“You were bold to come to Shimada castle, the den of your enemies.” Genji’s distorted voice was jarring to hear in a quiet place, and uncomfortable because McCree knew what was coming.

“This was once my home. Did your masters not tell you who I was?” Hanzo grabbed his bow, nocked an arrow and shot it so quick that McCree almost missed it. Genji easily dodges the blue streak - it flies past him and out of the castle.

“I know who you are -  _ Hanzo _ .”

Hanzo’s face showed surprise for a split second before he nocked and shot another arrow at Genji, who deftly dodged it again.

“I know you come here every year on the same day.”

Enraged, Hanzo started shooting even more arrows. To dodge them, Genji hid behind a lamp - even then, arrows sliced through the paper and embedded themselves onto the walls.

“You risk so much to honour someone you  _ murdered _ .” McCree thought he detected anger in Genji’s voice. In the times that he had known Genji, he never got angry unless it was about Hanzo. Then after meeting Zenyatta, who was now his mentor, he had found peace. But perhaps when faced with his brother again, he couldn’t contain it.

Genji flexed his wrist and loaded three shurikens into his hand; flinging them at Hanzo. The older Shimada had to dodge to avoid his head looking like a nice sashimi dish, though some of his arrows took the brunt for him. The shurikens embedded themselves deep into the wall.

“You know nothing of what happened!” Hanzo aims, fires quick and true, but Genji reflects it, though it causes him to smash through the paper lantern.

_ Those arrows are no joke, _ McCree thought as he watched the two brothers fight. He was quite sure that Genji knew he was here - but as to why the cyborg ninja didn’t call him out on it, he didn’t know.

Genji crashed onto the ground, but got up so quick that when McCree blinked all he saw was a blurry green streak of light. Hanzo shot another arrow, but this one scattered in all directions, forcing Genji to reflect most of them before he leapt back up onto the ground floor.

Sliding his sword back into its sheathe, he disappeared into the outer balcony. Hanzo followed after quickly. McCree also scrambled downstairs to where Genji had dodged the scatter arrows to collect some samples before sneaking up the side stairs to listen to the two brothers.

_Sure feels like surround sound in here,_ McCree jokes to himself. The two brothers could be heard almost anywhere in the castle. _Maybe it’s not them, maybe it’s the castle recognizing the Shimadas._ _Hey, anything could be possible. This is - was - their ancestral home._

“I know you tell yourself that your brother disobeyed the clan.” Hanzo turned to shoot at the voice, but his arrow lodged into the far wall. “And that you had to kill him to maintain order. That it was your duty.” Genji stood behind him, waiting.

“It was my duty. And my burden.” He drew two arrows from his quiver and shot one. Arrowhead met sword, and it bounced off harmlessly. “But that does not mean I do not honour him!” Another arrow shot; but this time, sliced cleanly in half with Genji’s katana.

With a growl of frustration at being constantly bested; his arrows rendered useless, the two leapt at each other, the clang of bow against katana sending loud ‘ _ clinks’  _ into the night. McCree swore he saw sparks from the weapons at least once. But eventually the sparrow’s enhanced strength won over the wolf, and that left Hanzo dangling over the edge with a sword close to his face.

“You think your honour your brother Genji with incense offerings? Honour resides in one’s  _ actions _ .”

Hanzo’s eyes flare with anger; he notices the one arrow stuck to the floor.

“You dare to lecture me about honour? You are not worthy to say his name!” He swings his bow to the side, taking Genji by surprise and disarming the ninja. Hanzo lunges for the arrow, yanks it out from the floor and readies himself.

A ethereal blue glow starts snaking up Hanzo’s left arm; twin dragons, translucent and smokey as he aims. It entwines itself with the arrow, and he shoots.

“RYUU GA WAGA TEKI WO KURAU!”

Twin blue dragons burst into life, roaring as they lunge towards Genji. McCree just stood and watched, aghast at the power. Genji however, watches as the dragons approach; he slides his katana out in a rush, and with it came a green dragon.

“RYUU JIN NO KEN WO KURAE!” With a swing, the green dragon guided the two away from Genji who wielded the dragon as his sword and flicked it back to Hanzo. 

The archer braced himself against the onslaught of his own dragons - he knew that people of the Shimada clan were immune, but having the dragons hit you with such raw force was almost painful. He collapsed onto the ground.

Genji slid his katana back into its sheathe once more, the vents on his body emitting steam like how a person would expel sweat.

“Only a Shimada can control the dragons. Who are you?” Hanzo sounded like a man who had almost tasted victory, but now only saw defeat.  Genji was just a few feet in front of him, but in the blink of an eye, he had a sword at Hanzo’s neck.

“Do it then. Kill me.”

“No.”  Genji withdrew his sword. 

“I will not grant you the death you wish for. You still have a purpose in this life.  _ Brother. _ ”

McCree watched all of the emotions flash past on Hanzo’s face - first shock, anger, then denial.

“No.  _ No. _ My brother is dead.”

Genji unlatched his visor - and looked into brown eyes just like his own.

“ _ Genji.” _ Hanzo accepts it. He looks away and asks, “What have you... become?”

“I have accepted who I am. And I have forgiven you. And now you must forgive yourself.”  Genji reattached his visor and gently patted Hanzo on the shoulder. 

“The world is changing once again, Hanzo, and it’s time to pick a side.”  And with that, Genji leapt off the balcony onto the roof. 

Hanzo’s face turns from incredulity to anger. He rips out the last arrow he has from the wall and aims at Genji. 

“Real life is not like the stories our father told us. You were a fool for believing it so!” he yelled.

“Perhaps I am a fool to think that there is still hope for you. But I do. Think on that, brother.”

The ninja disappears in a puff of smoke, and a lone sparrow feather drifts from it. Hanzo lowers his bow, his face devoid of emotion.

But as McCree witnessed the entire exchange, he knew that Hanzo was not emotionless, but grieving. Grieving the loss of how his brother used to be; a young, carefree sparrow. Grief that his brother is now unwhole (in his eyes), and the pain, of having to mourn someone that was not actually dead.

_ Seemed like a nasty shock after 10 years, to have someone you thought dead come back to life, _  McCree thought, and the image of her laughing in that blue suit of hers, onyx hair shining bright under the lights of the Swiss headquarters came unbidden into his mind. He shook it off, and gave one last lingering look at Hanzo before he left.

_ We all have our own monsters to fight. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still would like to thank Aki for being a great help in giving me new ideas to work with. Also, have you guys seen the Halloween skins? Awesome. I have 3/4 of the legendaries because I bought 50 loot boxes... kill me now :^)


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